The city of TOL is often sought out by all manner of globe-trotting adventurers. Sellswords, bodyguards, treasure seekers, bounty hunters, exiled nobility, wandering clergy, and even the occasional wizard undergoing a mid-life crisis. These travelers no doubt have all manner of titles for one another, but to the citizens of the world's greatest city, they go by only one name: Rat-Catchers.

When a large enough band of them congregates under a single leader, these "Rat Packs" meet often to discuss matters of thaumaturgic or political sensitivity between each other. Don't be fooled, though; While they are all opposed by the nobility, the merchants, and even many local crime syndicates, they are not staunch allies to one another. Constant backstabbing and infighting between the groups keeps them from rising too high within the bounds of TOL, and the powers that be are content to keep it that way.

The current reins of power lay with these five, the leaders of the most prominent Rat-Catcher companies that make the city their home.

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Leftmost is Tall Hasan, once a proud knight of a Mesiggian lord, he came to TOL an exile after the fall of his home duchy of Leck to Orcish invasion. His combat prowess and tactician's wit is matched only by his ability to drink any opponent under the table. Living in exile and dishonor from his homeland, Hasan plays the fool amongst the five leaders, allowing himself to be pulled along on their puppet strings. However, two decades of command have sharpened the knight to a razor's edge - and the others are all blind to see that he stands poised to wipe them out the instant they underestimate him. From then on, there will only be one Rat Pack left, and with no infighting left to distract them, TOL's sellswords led by Hasan will show the Silent City's nobles the way of war in Mesigg - Fast, decisive, and absolute.

Next is Kuh-Ish-Keu, a Lizard-man who arrived in TOL in a crate, shipped in from Hellion Harbor as a chattel slave. After a still-undefeated run of 116 straight wins in the Legatti fighting pits, his master granted him his freedom. Now he has left the colosseum, but it has not left him - and he seeks to make all of TOL his next grand victory.

Rightmost stands Blackspear the Betrayer. At one time a trusted lieutenant and battle commander for the Delian Emperor Polateus III, Blackspear earned his moniker forty years ago as he cast his mortal Name and soul, as well as those of his 2,000 loyal soldiers, into the flames of Null. His soldiers were all consumed by the fire and burned away to nothing, but he has walked the world as an undying warlord ever since. He commands the fewest followers of the five leaders, but everyone in the city is certain he is hiding his strength and biding his time. But for what?

Second from the right is No-One. There is nothing to be said for the man who walks with a thousand voices and none, but that he attracts and collects Warlocks and Occultists as followers with terrifying speed and efficacy. He is never seen walking the streets of the city, and most speculate he makes his den in dark tunnels far below, where it's said old and terrible things still lurk. Many have tried to find out why. Of those, few are ever seen again.

Finally, in the center, supping on wine from the skull of the Hobgoblin Khan once-named Muolagh, the Mind Flayer Agzsitt reminisces to his youth, dining on the thoughts of terrified Gith servants and commanding his once feared and respected Star-Ship Muoshkg Leth. These days are droll for him, indeed - dumped on the tail-end of the multiverse in this backwater of a human pig sty. Still, it does have its little moments of fun. Having only arrived four months ago, and already commanding the largest cadre of sellswords out of the five leaders, Agzsitt hopes the aristocracy are as fun to toy with as the peasantry - He intends to be sat among them by year's end.